Friday's 193-yard performance marked the best game of Tony Temple's career. But perhaps it was fitting the way it ended. In an ironic twist, Temple lost the Sun Bowl rushing record and watched his team lose the game in a span of just a few gut-wrenching minutes.

Temple had picked up seven yards, upping his total to 198, one yard better than the previous mark for rushing yards in the 73-year old game, which was set by LSU's Charles Alexander in 1997. On first and ten, Temple got carry number 20. He lost four yards, pushing him back to 194, the second-best total for a Sun Bowl runner. He did not get a chance to carry again as Oregon State snatched away a 39-38 win.

"That stuff really doesn't matter if you don't come out with the win," Temple said of his day.

Temple had actually been announced in the press box as the game's MVP. Though that honor was later given to Oregon State quarterback Matt Moore, Temple's value to the Tiger offense was hard to ignore.

"He's the catalyst of the team, at least the offense" Chase Daniel said. "Once he gets going, everything works."

Temple finished the season with 1,063 yards. He is the first Tiger running back to top 1,000 yards since Zack Abron in 2003.